The Prince and Princess of Wales praised the generation of Leeds Rhinos players who looked up to Rob Burrow during a visit to the club where he spent his entire career, according to a report by Tony Jones, PA Court Correspondent.
William and Kate met former teammates Danny McGuire and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who described Burrow’s influence in the Leeds Rhinos dressing room. McGuire said Burrow had been small but brave and had inspired the team, while Jones-Buchanan said Burrow made up for what he lacked in size with his voice and recalled his humour.
Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease less than two years after ending his playing career. He subsequently campaigned to raise awareness of the condition and funds to help find a cure.
His former teammate Sir Kevin Sinfield was knighted during the summer for services to rugby league and the motor neurone disease community. Sinfield has raised more than £10 million for motor neurone disease charities and is midway through a final fundraising effort involving seven ultramarathons in seven days.
William joked about the scale of Sinfield’s challenge, saying it would be “amazing” if he could walk by the end of it. The couple later made a surprise visit to the fundraiser in Leeds at the end of Sinfield’s third marathon and described his actions as “so inspiring”.
At the club, the couple also watched under-19 female players practise ball-handling skills and children from Lawns Park primary school take part in rugby activities. Kate spoke positively about seeing so many girls playing rugby and chatted with Keara Bennett, one of five Leeds Rhinos players named in the England squad for the women’s World Cup beginning the following month.
